Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 300 Loyalty, Betrayal, Rules, and Calculations

Before setting foot on the land of the vast sea, Elder Zegen had always felt a sense of "everything is under control" deep in his heart.

Or perhaps it's just an illusion!
This veteran politician, who has been involved in the Xiyue Council for decades, has always prided himself on being worldly-wise and having a keen eye, able to see through people's hearts and the situation.

Xi Yue, from the thirteen divisions of the North and South, boasts of being a first-rate strategist.

The reason he resigned from his position at the Xiyue Council and brought his grandson to Hanhai was because he had truly sensed danger.

This feeling was so strong that after repeatedly studying the current situation in Xiyue, he chose to relinquish his power in the parliament and decisively fled.

In Lao Zegen's eyes, if Han Hai fully supports the elves, then Xi Yue's situation on the battlefield will be extremely dangerous. At best, it will result in further loss of territory and reparations; at worst, it will face the threat of national extinction.

The worst part is that the opponent is an elf!

If the opponent is any human force, regardless of its origin, it cannot quickly assimilate the complex land of Xiyue without these deeply rooted local aristocratic families that have been operating for hundreds of years.

But the alien races are different. To put it another way, many of the local powerful clans in Xiyue rose to power by fighting against the elves. Those old fogies might still remember them!
After much deliberation and weighing the pros and cons, Elder Zegen proposed sacrificing the lives of some officers to appease the somewhat "fragile" lord.

Yes, he was very sensitive; at least at that time, that's what Zegen really thought.

He acknowledged Han Hai's governing abilities and military strength, but he couldn't help but chuckle at the Han Hai lord's "moral fastidiousness."

For example, after staying in Hanhai for so long, the old man always felt that something was strange. After careful reflection, he realized that there were no brothels in Hanhai.

Let alone an old man like Zegen who still retains some of the customs of a slave-owning tribe, even if you were in Dongxia on Earth, many people would not understand how you could do something that even our "modern" society cannot eliminate. It's utterly absurd!

Well, all I can say is that the revolution was so successful that people often forgot its original intention and significance.

But one good thing about Zegen is that, regardless of whether he can understand it or not, he doesn't dwell on things he can't change.

Whether you're easily hurt or have a saintly heart, this lord holds gold in one hand and a sword in the other, so whatever you say goes.

The strong have the power to define the rules.

Zegen hoped to continue building a good relationship with the lord by taking some goodwill gestures and relying on the Xiyue platform.

However, the royalists in Xiyue clearly did not think that way.

The North Wind Legion is the royal family's direct legion, and Lind Carson is the emperor's trusted and beloved general. If killing a few elven prisoners leads to the punishment of their own high-ranking officers, what will become of the royal family's reputation? How will they be able to lead this army in the future?
Moreover, after repeatedly studying the intelligence brought back by Lao Zegen, the royal family of Xiyue devised a bold plan.

At a private meeting within the royal family, Cloty Hein addressed her brother, the Federal Emperor Gerhard, with great enthusiasm.

"Although Old Zegen is cunning, he has a good eye. His assessment of that Lord of the Vast Ocean's character is at least 70-80% reliable!"

"so--"

"Since that lord is so particular about the rules, then I think the elves shouldn't break the agreement during the ceasefire. After all, they're currently sucking up to that lord!"

This line of thinking is exactly the same as the logic of the Onsa bandits on Earth: if you follow the rules, then I won't follow the rules, so I'll be the one who benefits!
Expanding on this point, Clotti offered his own suggestions.

"The elves have taken in over a million refugees in Whitestone City and taken another million people from Qingze City. The resettlement of so many people is definitely a huge problem. In my opinion, the elves will need to deploy at least half of their army to maintain stability among these lowly people."

"With the agreement signed, vigilance will inevitably be relaxed."

"This is a golden opportunity bestowed upon me by Heaven!"

On the huge military map, Clotilde drew several heavy circles around White Rock City.

"The 'North Wind' Legion has just taken over Qingze City, and there are almost no people left in the city. It will be very easy to conceal the army's movements. We will send some laborers over and pretend that the 'North Wind' is still stationed inside and outside the city. We will have General Lin De lead the main force to march upstream along the Beilu River in a concealed manner, and wait for an opportunity to cross the river and enter the west side of Baishi City."

"Furthermore, on the east side of White Stone City, ostensibly withdraw the troops, but secretly transfer the Tree Toad Legion and the Radiant Light Legion up there, using the Changfeng Hills as cover to hide and wait for the right opportunity!"

"Furthermore, many spies have already been planted among the refugees. With three legions plus internal strife, it's enough to severely damage the elves and drive them back to the Dark Forest!"

"The elves rely solely on their bows and arrows. If we take precautions in advance, it won't be so easy for them to come out of the forest again!"

This meticulously planned scheme deeply moved all the royal family members present.

This also includes His Majesty the Emperor himself.

After a series of intensive discussions, the entire operational plan was finalized, which included not only the aforementioned operational deployments but also a series of coordinated actions.

For example, formally send the absurd proposal to take over Shagang and give it to Hanhai to the lord of Hanhai in the form of a formal note, thus distracting the other party.

For example, since the main force advancing this time is attacking from both the east and west, and does not need to cross the Beilu River, the progress of plugging the breach can be slowed down, and even one or two unintentional breaches can be caused to affect the enemy's transportation and logistics.

For example, they simultaneously sent negotiating envoys to both the Vast Sea and the Elven Lands, ostensibly to discuss the handling and compensation for the recent prisoner abuse incident, but in reality, to lull the enemy into a false sense of security and buy time.

Emperor Gerhard Hein was a shrewd man; after a quick thought, he realized it was indeed a brilliant idea!
"However, we can't let that old geezer Zegen go to this meeting!"

Gerhard slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair: "That old man's negotiation skills are indeed high, but he's clearly been scared out of his wits by that so-called Han Hai Territory. He can't be relied on anymore!"

"Let's send a few experienced, prudent, and loyal advisors to the government!"

And so, old Zegen retired from the council, a result that was satisfactory to both sides.

However, just as he set off to return to the North, the old man learned of the Federal army's mobilization through clandestine channels.

The royalists have kept it well hidden on the surface, but what kind of place is the Xiyue Federation? In a place where the port chief dares to accept bribes from orcs and the appraisal institute dares to resell infiltration slots, the mobilization of several legions—that's a huge business deal.
The meeting had just ended when the brother-in-law of the Tree Toad Legion commander received news that the army was about to set off. Your trading company was instructed to quickly prepare the following supplies, ideally buying up all available goods on the market, as I needed to request an emergency purchase! By the way, since the demand for supplies was so urgent, and we were going to buy them all, a price increase of three to five times was perfectly reasonable!

The Radiant Legion's main business is not in the Federal Capital, but they have their own economic plans.

The previous major battle, coupled with the floods, left many places barren, with fields lying everywhere either unclaimed or desperately needing to be sold.

However, because it is located on the front line, there may be another war in six months. Everyone is just watching and not daring to take action. Now that His Majesty the Emperor has set a strategy, once the elves are driven back to the Dark Forest, the war zone will become a safe zone. Wouldn't the land price skyrocket?
The connections of the Huanguang Legion sped westward at breakneck speed.

Of course, the legion commander repeatedly instructed that the actions of these people be kept strictly confidential to avoid attracting other merchants to come and steal their food!
But with such a big move already, it might be possible to keep it from others, but it's impossible to hide it from a seasoned veteran like Zegen, whose connections are so deeply entrenched.

The old man stayed up all night and made a painful decision.

He urgently passed the chieftainship of the "Baiquan" tribe to his eldest son, and at the same time, he set off overnight with his youngest grandson, heading north to the Hanhai.

It's a standard two-way bet, but judging from the old man's own actions, he still has more confidence in Hanhai.

The old man was quite pleased with himself for taking such decisive action when the clues had just begun to emerge. However, Chen Mo's almost casual question immediately broke the old man's guard.

I thought I was the fastest to surrender, but who is it that's kneeling down even faster than me?

If someone even knows about arranging inside agents, their rank must be quite high!

But how come they know the movements of the 'North Wind' Legion so clearly? This speed is not right!
Intelligence needs to be transmitted from the front lines to the capital, and then sent to the vast sea – no matter how you calculate it, that's impossible!

Unless... the message wasn't sent back from Qingze City, but directly from the palace!

The old man felt a chill run through his body. He couldn't help but look around, sometimes at the front gate, sometimes at the back corridor. A scene kept replaying in his mind—a high-ranking royalist bigwig walking out from there with a smile, bowing to him and saying, "Old Councilor, I didn't expect to meet you here again!"

Suddenly, his vision blurred, and the face transformed into that of the Imperial Emperor Gerhard Hein, startling the old man so much that his clothes were soaked with cold sweat.

Of course, this was just Zegen's imagination. The scene he had envisioned did not appear. After snapping out of his daze, Zegen forced himself to calm down and honestly explained everything he knew.

Once there's a competitor, the price for selling out one's country drops significantly.

Of course, in the old man's mind, this could not be called treason, but rather saving the country.

"My lord, I have carefully calculated that among the thirteen tribes of Xiyue, at most only three can be won over by the royal family. These are all small tribes that have been declining in recent years, with their strength waning significantly. They are about to lose their seats and are not worth worrying about."

"The old man has a chance to persuade the three tribes in the south, plus the 'Ice Needle' tribe in the east. These chieftains are all people who dislike war. I have spoken with them before, and they all admire your demeanor greatly, Lord..."

"Yes, yes, yes, the lord's summary is spot on: a disorganized mess, a disorganized mess!"

From the tribal composition of Xiyue to the political landscape of the imperial court; from the combat style of the royal army to the governance of local clans; from the federal foreign policy and its practical achievements to the main problems and internal contradictions of the system...

The Han Hai officials who still had work to do had all left long ago. Ze Gen's grandson had already slumped onto the table, and the little princess had fallen asleep in Chen Mo's arms at some point. Seeing that the old man's eyelids were getting heavier and heavier, Chen Mo finally decided to let the old man go back to rest.

Despite his many flaws, he is indeed a rare talent who is knowledgeable about local affairs on this planet, has a flexible mind, and whose ideas are relevant. We mustn't let him be worn out.

"Thank you for your hard work today, sir. I'm tired from your long journey and shouldn't be so talkative, but I really benefited a lot from your words and couldn't help myself! I hope you won't mind!"

Old Zegen was almost in tears.

What does it mean to treat the virtuous with respect and to be as gentle as a spring breeze?

If his previous statement that Chen Mo was comparable to the Four Ancient Emperors was a compliment, now, Old Zegen truly feels that way!

"As for what the old gentleman said earlier, that we should strike first, I don't think it's necessary."

Chen Mo gently rubbed Liu Shuang's head, which was resting against his chest, and said earnestly, "A peace agreement is a peace agreement. If Xi Yue breaks the agreement, then they should be held accountable for breaking the agreement. There's no reason to tear up the peace agreement to prevent others from breaking it!"

"Yes, yes! Your Excellency is right!" Zegen echoed repeatedly, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

Seemingly sensing the movement, Liu Shuang gently shifted in Chen Mo's arms, finding a more comfortable position, and continued to sleep soundly.

"Ultimately, it's because Xiyue feels she hasn't lost. If it weren't for me beating up Zircon Territory here, they probably wouldn't have even accepted this temporary agreement."

"So, although I like to reason, it's never really useful!"

Chen Mo shook his head helplessly and continued:

"In this world, most people believe in might. Before you beat them down, they won't listen to your reasoning. But once you beat them down, they'll think everything you say makes sense!"

"What I admire about the old man is that although he acknowledges strength, he can also listen to some reason."

"Therefore, I intend to ask you to serve as an advisor first, to help coordinate and handle various miscellaneous matters at Hanhai in the near future. If you can adapt well, we will then see what specific position would be suitable for you. What do you think, sir?"

"Thank you for your appreciation, my lord. I am ashamed and will follow your arrangements!"

After seeing off Old Zegen, the moon was already high in the sky, and its cool light shone through the glass windows, casting a layer of silver frost on the ground.

Chen Mo picked up the little girl and took her back to her private bedroom in the lord's manor. He carefully covered her with a blanket and then turned to leave.

The moment the door closed gently, Liu Shuang, who should have been fast asleep, slowly opened her eyes. In her amber pupils, which appeared exceptionally bright in the darkness, there was no trace of sleepiness, only deep annoyance and a hint of barely perceptible shyness.

"What kind of terrible idea is this from my sister...?"

(End of this chapter)